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AIBU?

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Original poster

To return puppy to breeder?

144 replies

TrueBlu · 05/03/2016 07:42

I'm really at the end of my tether with this.

I've had dogs all my life, mainly labs and collies who've house trained very quickly but also rescue dogs who've not been properly house trained as pups.

We now have an 8 month old boxer bitch.

She will not house train. The problem is she won't give any signals to be let outside. Everything has been done by the book, done again and redone again.

Lots of praise, treats, tethering to us, crate training, let out every 30 mins etc.

She continues to poo and we in her crate, or if she's not in the crate in the house.

I've contacted the breeder who says her mother was the same Angry

One of the other owners from her litter says she's having a lot of problems with her bitch too.

The vet says she has no health problems.

We have DC and caught out 18 month old walking around with dog poo in her hand the other week...

Just don't know what to do.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
shinynewusername · 05/03/2016 07:51

(Doctor not vet) It sounds as if there is a genetic problem that prevents her knowing that she needs to pee or poo. I don't there is anything you can do to improve it. Sorry Sad

RubbleBubble00 · 05/03/2016 07:53

I'd return. absolutely ridiculous that they are breeding from bitch with problems like that

TheoriginalLEM · 05/03/2016 07:55

can you get in touch with your local boxer rescue? id be reluctant to return to the breeder as they sound pretty unscrupulous to be honest. sad thing is you will struggle to rehome her.

You could TRY (if you haven't already) adaptil coller or plug in. This is a dog pheremone that helps with anxiety.

How does she like her crate? do you think being caged causes anxiety -im notanti crate but they don't work for all dogs.

sorry if im telling you what you already know but look for signs she needs to go. circling. change in behaviour. encourage her outside and reward when she goes. quietly with food. no noisey fuss.

also what are you feeding her?

you have my sympathy. it must be very difficult.

i suspect themother was like this due to being used as a breeding bitch rather than it being genetic. so she might not have "taught" her pups well. so i think you CAN overcome this but i completely understand why you feel this is too much.

IAmTheWhoreOfBabylon · 05/03/2016 07:56

Does she squat down to poo or pee or does she just wander round with it falling out of her?
If she squats you would assume she gets the sensation
My poodle was late to house train. I thought she was never going to get it. She was a year old when it finally clicked

TheoriginalLEM · 05/03/2016 07:57

shiny i disagree. if thet was the case she would just go where she is sitting etc and wouldn't crouch. if that was the case id be considering euthanasia :(

SoupDragon · 05/03/2016 07:57

I've contacted the breeder who says her mother was the same

Did she was was the same or is the same? If the problem has been solved, how did she do it? if the problem is still there in the mother then I would return the dog.

SoupDragon · 05/03/2016 07:57

Did she SAY....

Original poster
TrueBlu · 05/03/2016 08:01

Thanks all, really appreciate the advice.

Yes she squats, usually she'll do it out of site but sometimes she'll just do it in front of us.

The breeder says the mother stopped eventually but he still finds the odd poo... Really don't think he should have bred from her.

OP posts:
bimandbam · 05/03/2016 08:02

How long have you had her?

My friend has a boxer puppy too and is finding house training hard work. Have you spoken to any other breeders or boxer rescues etc. Boxees aren't like labs and collies and not as trainable.

Is she soiling because she is stressed? Are you feeding a quality food? Are you going outside with her when you want her to go? Have you spoken to a behaviourist? Taken her to the vet?

Is she incontinent in that she can't hold it or is she just not getting housetraining? Did the breeder say they eventually trained their bitch or not?

I personally wouldn't return an 8 month old puppy because it didn't get housetraining. So yes yabu. But I can understand that you might be frustrated.

You need her checking by the vet. Then you need to work really, really hard with her and be prepared for it to take time. Maybe months rather than weeks.

GloGirl · 05/03/2016 08:03

I agree I wouldn't want to.live with an incontinent dog and if all else fails I would return to breeder but there is something unusual going on, they shouldnt mess in their crate. I'd find a local behavioural therapist and another vet and give it one last effort. As suggested above the breeder doesn't sound great but if all else fails that's what I'd do. But I would try a breed specific rescue yet.

Are you sure she's not stressed?

TheoriginalLEM · 05/03/2016 08:04

how do you react when she does thus?

GahBuggerit · 05/03/2016 08:04

that sounds a bit woo that genetically these dogs all cant housetrain but anythings possble i guess. i have no real advice but just wanted to say it sounds like you are talking about returning a toaster to Argos not a living breathing dog. most posts like this there are at least some positive comments about the dog.

what about ditching the crate? cant say ive ever been a fan of them, maybe the dog would respond better if left to snuffle about knowing its got 'freedom' so will relax a bit so be more responsive?

MyUserNameIsGreat · 05/03/2016 08:04

If you are going to rehome her please take her to a breed rescue rather than back to the breeder (who will just sell her to somebody else, or even breed from her) or to the RSPCA rehoming centre. And be honest about the problems otherwise she'll be rehomed to somebody else who will have the same problem and the poor girl will just get passed from one home to another.

Original poster
TrueBlu · 05/03/2016 08:05

Will look into getting the collar.

Yes, boxer rescue would definitely be preferable.

She seems to like her crate, although does spend a fair amount of time in there at the moment as I just don't know where else to put her.

I have to wash her bedding about twice a day Sad

OP posts:
MyUserNameIsGreat · 05/03/2016 08:07

Also, how often are you letting her out. I suggest going back to the beginning and every 15 minutes let her our, after playing, after waking etc. Then increase to 30 minutes, 45 minutes etc until she isn't doing in the house. Use a command word for toilet. we have always used "Hurry up"

Original poster
TrueBlu · 05/03/2016 08:07

We're feeding her Harringtons.
Have been to the vet and spoken to behaviourist nurse.

Yes, we have been working very hard with her.

OP posts:
Marcipex · 05/03/2016 08:07

Please try to find a rescue place, not the breeder.

I wouldn't keep her, or expect anyone else to, just too awful in the house with children.

GloGirl · 05/03/2016 08:07

Get her out of her crate if she is in there a lot. Take her for scheduled walks a day

First thing on waking, so 6.30am
Longer walk 11am
Afternoon 3pm
7pm
Bedtime

If you don't have the time to do that, rehome her. How often is she currently walked?

shinynewusername · 05/03/2016 08:10

OP, did the breeder say that the mother was like this as a puppy or has become like this as an adult. I'd agree that - if the latter - it sounds like obstetric damage Sad. But I assumed you meant the mother was also like this as a pup, which is why I thought genetic.

.

ThatDamnedDog · 05/03/2016 08:11

This is a very, very common problem with Boxers. My eldest bitch came to us at 11 months and wasn't housetrained properly, but she had had 3 (that we know to!) Sets of owners, and at least 1 set were abusive. My boy came at 10 weeks and we still had a lot of problems with him. It took months of relentless training to get them 'housebroken' so I understand your pain! But you also can't have DC wandering round with pooey hands.
Please don't return to the breeder, he sounds an absolute cockwomble and pretty clueless, but there are specific Boxer rescues that would help you. If you want details of them feel free to pm me. Boxers mature much slower than other dogs, experts agree that housetraining fully takes betweeen a year and eighteen months, and my two year old has only just learnt how to cock his leg!
Flowers Wine

Original poster
TrueBlu · 05/03/2016 08:11

There is no way I'm getting rid of her crate and allowing her to roam around pooing in the house.

She's very calm and loving, loves people and other dogs and strangely easy to train with anything else.

OP posts:
Original poster
TrueBlu · 05/03/2016 08:13

Sorry yes the mother was like this as a puppy, not an adult.

OP posts:
Seeyounearertime · 05/03/2016 08:16

i thought it was quite a common thing for Boxers?

I remember when i looked into getting a dog, years ago now mind you, that people were warning me about different aspects of different breeds and i'm sure that the Boxer breeder i spoke to said that they're very difficult to housebreak?

littlefrenchonion · 05/03/2016 08:16

I think your first port of call is a behaviourist.

I don't think the breeder was at fault here actually - I highly doubt it's a genetic issue, more that the dog is just struggling to learn to train, and for some reason perhaps he doesn't gel with the methods you are using. A decent behaviourist will commit to helping you get it sorted.

TheoriginalLEM · 05/03/2016 08:18

how many hours a day is she in her crate?

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